Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Judge spares MMA star over driving charges
Term would hit Mcgregor ‘wannabe’
AN MMA star was spared a suspended sentence yesterday after a judge said he did not want to stop him “following Conor Mcgregor’s footsteps”.
Stormin’ Norman Parke was accused at Coleraine Magistrates Court accused of driving offences and being disorderly.
The 30-year-old, of Heronshaw, Bushmills, Co Antrim, was told by District Judge Liam Mcnally if he imposed a suspended jail term it would mean he would not be able to emulate Mcgregor as such a conviction could ban him from America. But he was warned: “If you appear before me again for any insurance offence or driving while disqualified I will impose custody.”
Parke was sentenced in Coleraine yesterday for driving without insurance, failing to provide a specimen of breath, taking a vehicle without authority and being an unaccompanied L driver. He was also convicted of failing to display a learner driver plate and disorderly behaviour.
Parke was given a 15- month driving ban, a conditional discharge and fined £900 including £100 for the disorderly matter. A prosecutor said at 1.20am on June 6, 2016, police received a report of a fight outside a bar in Portstewart, Co Derry, and a woman said she saw two men fleeing in a Suzuki vehicle.
Parke told police he and his cousin had taken “a few drinks” and there had been an altercation.
A prosecutor said Parke had a learner’s driving licence and had not got the permission of the owner – his grandmother. He was also uninsured.
Defence solicitor Denise Gillan said her client “made something of his life
She added: “It would be a shame if he was not able to fulfil his ambitions.”